DEN86LA007

Factual narrative

WHILE MANEUVERING TO OBSERVE WILDLIFE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HOVER OUT OF GND EFFECT IN STEEP MTNS TERRAIN AT 9800 FT MSL AT 2550 LBS GW WITH A 7-10KT TAILWIND. ACCORDING TO ACFT HOGE CHARTS IN THE POH, THE ACFT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HOGE IN THE CONDITIONS OF ALT, GW, AND TAILWIND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ATTEMPT TO EXCEED THE ACFT CAPABILITIES RESULTED A RT SPIN FROM WHICH THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER DUE TO LOW ALT AGL. THE ACFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL IMPACT WITH TREES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12